Broncos Cut Multiple Players, Promote QB After Winning No. 1 Seed

The Broncos shook up the roster after earning themselves a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton before the game at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In the wake of clinching the No. 1 playoff seed and posting a 14-3 regular-season record, the Denver Broncos made a few roster moves. On Monday, the Broncos promoted quarterback Sam Ehlinger to the active roster and waived tight end Marcedes Lewis and offensive tackle Geron Christian, the team announced.

Both Lewis and Christian were on the 53-man roster, so that leaves one open spot, with Ehlinger taking the other. Broncos fans will be wondering who will fill it, and it could be rookie linebacker Karene Reid, whom the team designated to return from injured reserve a couple of weeks back.

With the playoffs ahead, the Broncos are making sure they have no shortage of gameday quarterbacks. Ehlinger can dress and serve as the No. 3 emergency quarterback without counting toward the seven gameday inactives, but he has to be on the roster.

Practice squad quarterbacks are not eligible for this little wrinkle. So the Broncos will be fully three-deep at the position in the event that anything should befall Bo Nix or Jarrett Stidham in these single-elimination playoffs.

I would expect the Broncos to re-sign Lewis to the practice squad. There is room there.

Lewis is playing his 20th NFL season at 41 years old. He's spent time on the practice squad and the 43-man roster because Sean Payton values what Lewis brings to the table as a blocker.

It also helps that, as a veteran and former first-round pick, Lewis has seen just about everything and anything the NFL can throw at a player, and he's an excellent fit for Payton's locker-room culture. I'd bet that Lewis can still run routes and catch passes, but the Broncos haven't asked him to do that.

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Ehlinger the Fail-Safe

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) looks to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Ehlinger is another guy who fits the culture. The Broncos brought him in on a one-year deal last March, and he acquitted himself well in training camp and the preseason.

Jumping between the practice squad and the 53-man roster, Ehlinger has had opportunities to go be a No. 2 quarterback elsewhere, with assurances of better opportunities play-time-wise, but he's opted to stick around in Denver under Payton's wing. Hopefully, that loyalty serves Ehlinger well at some point down the road, but he's certainly fit in well with Nix, Stidham, and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb.

The Broncos recently got a healthy Nate Adkins back on the field — the team's best blocking tight end — which made Lewis expendable. I'd be surprised if Lewis doesn't re-sign to the practice squad to finish out this season.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are decompressing after the long 18-week regular season. As the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC, they've earned a bye during Super Wildcard Weekend, and will host a Divisional Round playoff game in two weeks.

We're not yet sure exactly which team the Broncos will face, but it will be the lowest-seeded team that advances to the Divisional Round (another perk of being the No. 1 seed). Many people think that it'll be the Los Angeles Chargers, who are going on the road to face the New England Patriots.

The Chargers are the matchup many in Broncos Country want to see the least, especially after the 'ugfest' in the season finale. Time will tell. But the Broncos will be resting up a little this week, while doing their best to stay sharp and engaged.